The Love of Aphrodite - Book 1

Speechless

I enter Olympus much like I always do, full of nerves and full of annoyance. I practically walk in with Eros in my arms and my eyes already rolling.

"Be nice," Hephaestus mumbles under his breath.

"Same to you," I tell him with a fake smile. "I would also stay away from the alcohol this time too, sweetheart," I say as I see Demeter's dreadful approach in the corner of my eye.

"Congratulations." Demeter peers down at the child before looking at my face. "Very...handsome." I see her look up at Hephaestus suspiciously while I roll my eyes once again.

"Well, if you haven't noticed, I am the fairest of them all so he will inherit it from somewhere." I snap, my words sharp on my tongue.

Hephaestus nearly stomps on my foot but holds back. If I wasn't holding Eros, I wonder if he would have actually done it...

"Lovely," Demeter says simply with a bitter smile before walking away.

Relief can only wash over me for a moment before Demeter turns around slyly and motions for me to follow her. "Come. Let's show the precious little God to the rest of the Goddesses."

"Of course." I agree through gritted teeth.

Hephaestus excuses himself silently while I follow Demeter. Much to my surprise, she speaks instantly when Hephaestus is out of sight. "We know, adulterer."

My breath catches in my throat. "Whatever are you talking about? Can't I have a peaceful day in Olympus for once?"

"Of course not! Not when you continue down this vile oath! You disgust all of us!" She sneers close to my face. "You just can't be decent. Can you?"

I frown angrily. "Lean away, or start calling for help. Your choice. I won't let a child in my arms stop me from giving you the slapping you deserve for meddling with my life since day one!" I hiss threateningly.

"That's awfully bold of you when you have no power here. You have no friends here. No one stands at your side except your oblivious mistreated husband and the disgusting men on the side." Demeter gawks.

"Hephaestus knew of my-"

"Well, he doesn't know about all of them, does he? And that poor, self-esteem robbed God only asked you to stay away from one person, didn't he?" Demeter smiles happily at the revelation, watching my face closely as my expression filled with dread.

I am utterly speechless.

"That's right. We all know. I'm sure he'll be here shortly too, won't he?" Demeter looks to the door expectedly. "I'll be glad to see him arrive. It's about time that everyone learned the truth." 

"You can't do that to Hephaestus. It would be even more painful to him than I." I whisper to her urgently. "You don't care about how this will hurt him?" 

Demeter smirks. "We don't have to do it today. But keep yourself on your toes, Goddess of Love. We can tell him at any time, any place." She promises. "Now come, the other ladies are anxious to see the little one." 

I swallow the lump in my throat and follow her to the lion's pit of women. 

*           *          *          *          *          *

Sometime during the boring conversation between me and the ever so fake Hera, Ares walked in. I saw him instantly but attempted to refrain from looking at him for too long. I did, however, catch Hephaestus grovelling in the corner at the sight of his brother's arrival. 

I could feel the tension in the air from here. 

"I think the poor girl is growing tired of this gossiping madness." Zeus draws me away from the group of Goddesses and brings me back to the Gods. "They aren't the only ones waiting to meet the new little God." 

I brace myself as I approach them all, Ares included. Hephaestus isn't too far away either. 

"Who's the lucky father?" Apollo loudly jokes before Poseidon hits him in the ribs with his elbow. "What? We're all wondering?" 

"All you need to know is his name. That's all why we're here today." I cut in before anyone can come to my defence. I am awfully sick of not sticking up for myself. 

"Good," Zeus says simply, peering down at me curiously. "What is the little God's name?"  

"Eros." I smile and hold him out. I catch Ares' proud gaze in my peripheral once again. "The God of love." 

"Aren't you the Goddess of love already?" Apollo lets out a little scoff. 

I have to hold back my true, sassy response. "Well, I like to think of myself a little bit more like the Goddess of a more sexual kind of love," I look down to Eros fondly. "And the Goddess of beauty of course - but Eros, he will be the God of just regular old love. He will be much better at it than me." 

"Well, I think that's perfect." Zeus shrugs. 

"Hephaestus made him a bow and arrow, just like my belt." I continue proudly. 

"Sounds lovely. That was very nice of you, Hephaestus." Demeter's irritating voice resonates from behind me. 

Hephaestus grumbles uncomfortably. I can practically smell the wine on his breath from here but he's keeping quiet at least. 

"Ares, you must be so proud." 

I pause at the words, ready to throw Eros in someone else's arms so I can tackle her to the ground - but...to my surprise, it wasn't Demeter. 

It was Hera. 

I clench my jaw and face her. "Do you mind not throwing around such reckless accusations?" 

"I don't think I'm incorrect, so it doesn't feel reckless to me," Hera says sternly. "I have a very trustworthy source. You've met her before as she's informed me." She smiles. 

I look back to Ares who is equally speechless. I don't know of a possible defence he could have so I can't blame him for not stepping in.

Instead, I look to Hephaestus, who is leaning against his father helplessly drunk. Perhaps, he doesn't even know what is going on. "Let's go home, Hephaestus. I think I've had enough of this." 

"Yes, I agree. I think the poor God has been humiliated long enough." Zeus says darkly, passing my leaning husband to me. "Ares." He addresses the hinted father of my child. "I think you better leave too." He says. "For a while at least." 

Ares does, sending me one last concerned look that makes my heart ache. 

I have no idea what will happen now. I have a drunk Hephaestus now, but that won't last for long. It's only a matter of time before someone tells him if he hasn't already drunkenly taken it in already. 

"Come on." I whisper to him, genuinely saddened for what is about to come. "You need to get to bed." 

"Indeed." He simply slurs as we exit the front doors. "Back to bed to sleep alone, forever and always."